The Quiet Reason Duke’s Boozer’s Freshman Year Is So Impressive

Duke basketball freshman sensation Cameron Boozer has likely locked up the National Player of the Year award, handing the Duke program the nation's top player for the second straight season. The difference this season is that no one is even close to the level of production Boozer is at.

2025 National Player of the Year Cooper Flagg was considered the likely National Player of the Year for most of the season, but there were always other faces creeping down his back, mainly Auburn forward Johni Broome.

Mar 2, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) lays the ball up against the NC State Wolfpack during the second half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

This season with Boozer, it isn't even close. On the campaign, Boozer is seventh in the nation in scoring average at 22.6 points per game to go along with 10.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.6 steals on 58.3% shooting from the field and 40.4% shooting from three-point range. He leads Duke in every major statistical category, excluding blocks.

According to KenPom's National Player of the Year algorithm, Boozer leads the pack with a rating of 3.258, the highest rating in that metric since it started being tracked. The No. 2 player on that list is Iowa State's Joshua Jefferson with a rating of 1.764.

Mar 2, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Matt Able (3) drives the ball around Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) during the first half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The margin between Boozer at No. 1 and Jefferson at No. 2 is 1.494. For reference, the margin between Jefferson at No. 2 and Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. at the No. 10 spot is 0.339.

However, potentially the most impressive part of Boozer's rookie year might be one no one is talking about.

best player in the nation 👀🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/xYyZoVaACT
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) March 5, 2026

Cameron Boozer Has Been the Best Freshman in the Best Rookie Class College Basketball Has Ever Seen

It's near impossible at this point of the season to argue for anyone other than Boozer to be the best player in the nation, and he's so far ahead of the pack in arguably the best rookie class college basketball has ever seen.

The amount of pure talent and depth that this rookie class has in 2025-26 is unprecedented, and despite so many other elite freshmen around the sport, no one is even close to touching Boozer.

Feb 28, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) greets fans after a win over the Virginia Cavaliers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke won 77-51. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

There's a real possibility that every lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft is a freshman, and the top nine prospects in ESPN's draft rankings are rookies as well.

Boozer Still Likely Will Not Go No. 1

Boozer will almost definitely be a top-three selection in this summer's draft, but his less-than-flashy play style has hindered him from entering the true conversation to be the No. 1 overall pick.

Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson and BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa are generally considered the top two prospects, and it will be extremely difficult for the 6'9" forward to surpass either of them, despite his ridiculous production.

Feb 24, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) dribbles the ball during the first half against the UCF Knights at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

Regardless of where Boozer goes in the 2026 NBA Draft, how far and away he is from the rest of the field in a year with potentially the best freshman class of all-time could be the most impressive part of his rookie year with the Blue Devils.

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